^«^^.^//^M.._^ 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



-,.l,%l(,,^' 



THE 



Children of the Bible. 



COMPILED BY 



ELIHU'^BURRITT. 




New Britain, Conn. : 

GEORGE L. ALLEN. 

1871. 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, 

By ELIHU BURRITT, 

in the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. 






TO 

yVLRS. j^REDERIC ji, JToRTH, 

WHO FIRST SUGGESTED ITS CHARACTER AND OBJECT, 

THIS LITTLE BOOK, 

THE FIRST PUBLISHED IN NEW BRITAIN, IS INSCRIBED 

BY THE COMPILER, 

IN THE MOST SINCERE APPRECIATION OF HER GENEROUS DEVOTION 

TO THE 

RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION OF THE YOUNG, 

AS THE 

PRINCIPAL OF THE LARGEST INFANT SUNDAY SCHOOL 

IN THE TOWN. 

New BRiTADf, Conit., Mat 1, 1871. 



THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE, 

AND ITS 
WORDS OF LOVE AND PROMISE TO THEM. 



LITTLE ISHMAEL. 

\ ND Abraham rose up early in the 
■^ -^ mornings and took bread, and a bottle 
of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it 
on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her 
away: and she departed, and wandered in 
the wilderness of Beer-sheba. And the 
water was spent in the bottle, and she cast 
the child under one of the shrubs. And 
she went, and sat her down over against him 
a good way off, as it were a bowshot : for 
she said. Let me not see the death of the 
child. And she sat over against him, and 
lifted up her voice, and wept. 



4 THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE, 

And God heard the voice of the lad ; and 
the angel of God called to Hagar out of 
heaven^ and ^id unto her^ What aileth thee^ 
Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the 
voice of the lad where he is. Arise^ lift up 
the lad, and hold him in thy hand; for I 
will make him a great nation. And God 
opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; 
and she went, and filled the bottle with wa- 
ter, and gave the lad drink. And God was 
with the lad ; and he grew, and dwelt in the 
wilderness, and became an archer. And he 
dwelt in the wilderness of Paran : and his 
mother took him a wife out of the land of 
Egypt. 



ISAAC AT THE ALTAR. 

A ND Abraham took the wood of the 
'^ ^ burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac 
his son ; and he took the fire in his hand, 



THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE, 5 

and a knife ; and they went both of them 
together. And Isaac spake unto Abraham 
his father, and said, My father: and he said, 
Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold 
the fire and the wood ; but where is the lamb 
for a burnt offering? And Abraham said,^ 
My son, God will provide himself a lamb 
for a burnt offering; so they went both of 
them together. And they came to the place" 
which God had told him of; and Abraham 
built an altar there, and laid the wood in 
order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid 
him on the altar upon the wood. And Abra- 
ham stretched forth his hand, and took the 
knife to slay his son. 

And the angel of the Lord called unto 
him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, 
Abraham : and he said. Here am I. And 
he said. Lay not thine hand upon the lad, 
neither do thou any thing unto him; for 
now I know that thou fearest God, seeing 



6 THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 

thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only 
son from me. And Abraham lifted up his 
eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a 
ram caught in a thicket by his horns : and 
Abraham went and took the ram, and offered 
him up for a burnt offering in the stead of 
his son. And Abraham called the name of 
that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this 
day. In the mount of the Lord it shall be 
seen. 

And the angel of the Lord called unto 
Abraham out of heaven the second time, 
and said, By myself have I sworn, saith the 
Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, 
and hast not withheld thy son, thine only 
son: that in blessing I will bless thee, and in 
multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the 
stars of the heaven, and as the sand which 
is upon the sea shore ; and thy seed shall 
possess the gate of his enemies ; and in thy 
seed shall all the nations of the earth be 



J HE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 7 

blessed; because thou hast obeyed my 
voice. 



YOUNG JACOB S DREAM AND VOW. 

\ ND Jacob went out from Beer-sheba^ 
and went toward Haran. And he 
lighted upon a certain place, and tarried 
there all night, because the sun was set; and 
he took of the stones of that place, and put 
them for his pillows, and lay down in that 
place to sleep. And he dreamed, and be- 
hold a ladder set upon the earth, and the 
top of it reached to heaven ; and behold the 
angels of God ascending and descending on 
it. And, behold, the Lord stood above it, 
and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham 
thy father, and the God of Isaac : the land 
whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, 
and to thy seed ; and thy seed shall be as 



8 THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 

the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread 
abroad to the west, and to the east, and to 
the north, and to the south: and in thee and 
in thy seed shall all the families of the earth 
be blessed. And, behold, I am with thee, 
and will keep thee in all places whither thou 
goest, and will bring thee again into this 
land ; for I will not leave thee until I have 
done that which I have spoken to thee of. 

And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and 
he said. Surely the Lord is in this place; and 
I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said. 
How dreadful is this place ! this is none 
other but the house of God, and this is the 
gate of heaven. And Jacob rose up early 
in the morning, and took the stone that he 
had put for his pillows, and set it up for a 
pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. 
And he called the name of that place Beth-el; 
but the name of that city was called Luz at 
the first. And Jacob vowed a vow, saying. 



THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. g 

If God will be with me^ and will keep me 
in this way that I go, and will give me bread 
to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come 
again to my father's house in peace ; then 
shall the Lord be my God : and this stone, 
which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's 
house ; and of all that thou shalt give me I 
will surely give the tenth unto thee. 



JACOB AND HIS CHILDREN BEFORE ESAU. 

A ND Jacob lifted up his eyes, and 
looked, and, behold, Esau came, and 
with him four hundred men. And he di- 
vided the children unto Leah, and unto 
Rachel, and unto the two handmaids. And 
he put the handmaids and their children 
foremost, and Leah and her children after, 
and Rachel and Joseph hindmost. And he 



lo THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 

passed over before them, and bowed himself 
to the ground seven times, until he came 
near to his brother. And Esau ran to meet 
him, and embraced him, and fell on his 
neck, and kissed him ; and they wept. And 
he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women 
and the children; and said. Who are those 
with thee ? And he said. The children which 
God hath graciously given thy servant. 
Then the handmaidens came near, they and 
their children, and they bowed themselves. 
And Leah also with her children came near, 
and bowed themselves : and after came Jo- 
seph near and Rachel, and they bowed them- 
selves. And he said. What meanest thou by 
all this drove which I met ? And he said. 
These are to find grace in the sight of my lord. 
And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; 
keep that thou hast unto thyself. And Jacob 
said. Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found 
grace in thy sight, receive my present at my 



THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 1 1 

hand : for therefore I have seen thy face^ as 
though I had seen the face of God, and thou 
wast pleased with me. Take, I pray thee, 
my blessing that is brought to thee; because 
God hath dealt graciously with me, and be- 
cause I have enough. And he urged him, 
and he took it. And he said. Let us take 
our journey, and let us go, and I will go 
before thee. And he said unto him, My 
lord knoweth that the children are tender, 
and the flocks and herds with young are with 
me ; and if men should overdrive them one 
day, all the flock will die. Let my lord, I 
pray thee, pass over before his servant : and 
I will lead on softly, according as the cattle 
that goeth before me and the children be 
able to endure, until I come unto my lord 
unto Seir. And Esau said, Let me now 
leave with thee some of the folk that are with 
me. And he said, What needeth it? let me 
find grace in the sight of my lord. So 



12 THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 

Esau returned that day on his way unto 
Seir. And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, 
and built him a house, and made booths 
for his cattle : therefore the name of the 
place is called Succoth. 



JUDAH S PLEA FOR HIS LITTLE BROTHER. 

^ I ""HEN Judah came near unto him and 
said, O my lord, let thy servant, I pray 
thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and 
let not thine anger burn against thy servant, 
for thou art even as Pharaoh. My lord 
asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, 
or a brother? And we said unto my lord. 
We have a father, an old man, and a child 
of his old age, a little one; and his brother 
is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, 
and his father loveth him. And thou saidst 



THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 13 

unto thy servants. Bring him down unto 
me that I may set mine eyes upon him. 
And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot 
leave his father; for if he should leave his 
father, his father would die. And thou saidst 
unto thy servants, Except your youngest 
brother come down with you, ye shall see 
my face no more. 

And it came to pass, when we came up 
unto thy servant my father, we told him the 
words of my lord. And our father said. 
Go again, and buy us a little food. And 
we said. We cannot go down: if our young- 
est brother be with us, then will we go 
down ; for we may not see the man's face, 
except our youngest brother be with us. 
And thy servant my father said unto us, 
Ye know that my wife bare me two sons: 
and the one went out from me, and I said. 
Surely he is torn in pieces : and I saw him 
not since : and if ye take this also from me. 



14 THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 

and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down 
my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. 

Now therefore when I come to thy ser- 
vant my father, and the lad be not with us; 
(seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's 
life;) it shall come to pass, when he seeth 
that the lad is not with us, that he will die: 
and thy servants shall bring down the gray 
hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow 
to the grave. For thy servant became sure- 
ty for the lad unto my father, saying. If I 
bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear 
the blame to my father forever. Now 
therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide 
instead of the lad a bond-man to my lord ; 
and let the lad go up with his brethren. 
For how shall I go up to my father, and the 
lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see 
the evil that shall come on my father. 



THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 15 



JOSEPH BEFORE HIS BROTHERS. 

nr^HEN Joseph could not refrain himself 
^ before all them that stood by him ; and 
he cried, Cause every man to go out from 
me. And there stood no man with him, 
while Joseph made himself known unto his 
brethren. And he wept aloud: and the 
Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. 
And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am 
Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his 
brethren could not answer him, for they 
were troubled at his presence. And Joseph 
said unto his brethren. Come near to me, I 
pray you. And they came near. And he 
said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye 
sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not 
grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye 
sold me hither: for God did send me before 
you to preserve life. For these two years 
hath the famine been in the land : and yet 



i6 THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 

there are five years^ in the which there shall 
neither be earing nor harvest. And God 
sent me before you to preserve you a pos- 
terity in the earthy and to save your lives 
by a great deliverance. 

So now it was not you that sent me hither, 
but God : and he hath made me a father to 
Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a 
ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. 
Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say 
unto him. Thus saith thy son Joseph, God 
hath made me lord of all Egypt : come 
down unto me, tarry not : and thou shalt 
dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt 
be near unto me, thou, and thy children, 
and thy children's children, and thy flocks, 
and thy herds, and all that thou hast : and 
there will I nourish thee; for yet there are 
five years of famine; lest thou, and thy 
household, and all that thou hast, come to 
poverty. And, behold, your eyes see, and 



THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE, 17 

the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is 
my mouth that speaketh unto you. And 
ye shall tell my father of all my glory in 
Egypt, and of all that ye have seen ; and 
ye shall haste and bring down my father 
hither. 

And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's 
neck, and wept ; and Benjamin wept upon 
his neck. Moreover he kissed all his breth- 
ren, and wept upon them : and after that his 
brethren talked with him. 



JOSEPH S MEETING WITH HIS OLD FATHER. 

\ ND Joseph made ready his chariot, and 

went up to meet Israel his father to 

Goshen, and presented himself unto him ; 

and he fell on his neck, and wept on his 

neck a good while. And Israel said unto 



i8 THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 

Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen 
thy face, because thou art yet alive. 

And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, saying. 
Thy father and thy brethren are come unto 
thee : the land of Egypt is before thee ; in 
the best of the land make thy father and 
brethren to dwell ; in the land of Goshen 
let them dwell ; and if thou knowest any 
men of activity among them, then make 
them rulers over my cattle. 






JACOB S BLESSING ON JOSEPH S CHILDREN. 

\ ND Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and 
said. Who are these? And Joseph said 
unto his father, They are my sons, whom 
God hath given me in this place. And he 
said. Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and 
I will bless them. Now the eyes of Israel 



THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE, 19 

were dim for age, so that he could not see. 
And he brought them near unto him ; and 
he kissed them and embraced them. And 
Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought 
to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shewed 
me also thy seed. And Joseph brought 
them out from between his knees, and he 
bowed himself with his face to the earth. 
And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in 
his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and 
Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's 
right hand, and brought them near unto 
him. 

And Israel stretched out his right hand, 
and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was 
the younger, and his left hand upon Manas- 
seh's head, guiding his hands wittingly; for 
Manasseh was the firstborn. And he blessed 
Joseph, and said, God, before whom my 
fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the 
God which fed me all my life long unto this 



20 THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE, 

day, the Angel which redeemed me from all 
evil, bless the lads; and let my name be 
named on them, and the name of my fathers 
Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into 
a multitude in the midst of the earth. 



JACOB S DEATH AND FUNERAL. 

A ND when Jacob had made an end of 
commanding his sons, he gathered up 
his feet into the bed, and yielded up the 
ghost, and was gathered unto his people. 
And Joseph fell upon his father's face, and 
wept upon him, and kissed him. And Jo- 
seph commanded his servants the physicians 
to embalm his father: and the physicians 
embalmed Israel. And forty days were ful- 
filled for him ; for so are fulfilled the days 
of those which are embalmed ; and the 



THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 21 

Egyptians mourned for him threescore and 
ten days. 

And Joseph went up to bury his father; 
and with him went up all the servants of 
Pharaoh^ the elders of his house, and all the 
elders of the land of Egypt. And all the 
house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his 
father's house; only their little ones, and 
their flocks, and their herds, they left in the 
land of Goshen. And there went up with 
him both chariots and horsemen; and it v/as 
a very great company. And they came to 
the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond 
Jordan, and there they mourned with a great 
and very sore lamentation ; and he made a 
mourning for his father seven days. 

And his sons did unto him according as 
he commanded them ; for his sons carried 
him into the land of Canaan, and buried 
him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, 
which Abraham bought with the field for a 



22 THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 

possession of a burying-place of Ephron 
the Hittite, before Mamre. 



LITTLE MOSES AND HIS CRADLE. 

A ND there went a man of the house of 
Levi^ and took to wife a daughter of 
Levi. And the woman conceived, and bare 
a son; and when she saw him that he was a 
goodly child, she hid him three months. 
And when she could not longer hide him, 
she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and 
daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put 
the child therein ; and she laid it in the flags 
by the river's brink. And his sister stood 
afar off, to wit what would be done to him. 
And the daughter of Pharaoh came down 
to wash herself at the river ; and her maid- 
ens walked along by the river's side; and 



THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE, 23 

when she saw the ark among the flags, she 
sent her maid to fetch it. And when she 
had opened it, she saw the child ; and, be- 
hold, the babe wept. And she had compas- 
sion on him, and said. This is one of the 
Hebrews' children. Then said his sister to 
Pharaoh's daughter. Shall I go and call to 
thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that 
she may nurse the child for thee? And 
Pharaoh's daughter said to her. Go. And 
the maid went and called the child's mother. 
And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her. Take 
this child away, and nurse it for me, and I 
will give thee thy wages. And the woman 
took the child and nursed it. 

And the child grew, and she brought him 
unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became 
her son. And she called his name Moses; 
and she said. Because I drew him out of the 
water. 



24 THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 

SAMUEL AND HIS MOTHER. 

TT came to pass, when the time was come 
about after Hannah had conceived, that 
she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, 
saying. Because I have asked him of the 
Lord. And the man Elkanah, and all his 
house, went up to offer unto the Lord the 
yearly sacrifice, and his vow. But Hannah 
went not up; for she said unto her husband, 
I will not go up until the child be weaned, 
and then I will bring him, that he may ap- 
pear before the Lord, and there abide for 
ever. And Elkanah her husband said unto 
her. Do what seemeth thee good ; tarry 
until thou have weaned him; only the Lord 
establish his word. So the woman abode, 
and gave her son suck until she weaned 
him. 

And when she had weaned him, she took 
him up with her, with three bullocks, and 



THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE, 25 

one ephah of flour^ and a bottle of wine, 
and brought him unto the house of the 
Lord in Shiloh: and the child was young. 
And they slew a bullock, and brought the 
child to Eli. And she said, O my lord, as 
thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman 
that stood by thee here, praying unto the 
Lord. For this child I prayed ; and the 
Lord hath given me my petition which I 
asked of him: therefore also I have lent 
him to the Lord ; as long as he liveth he 
shall be lent to the Lord. And he wor- 
shipped the Lord there. 



SAMUEL S VISION. 

A ND the child Samuel ministered unto 

the Lord before Eli. And the word 

of the Lord was precious in those davs ; 



26 THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 

there was no open vision. And it came to 
pass at that time, when Eli was laid down 
in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, 
that he could not see; and ere the lamp of 
God went out in the temple of the Lord, 
where the ark of God was, and Samuel was 
laid down to sleep; that the Lord called 
Samuel : and he answered. Here am L 
And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; 
for thou calledst me. And he said, I called 
not ; lie down again. And he went and lay 
down. 

And the Lord called yet again, Samuel. 
And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and 
said. Here am I ; for thou didst call me. 
And he answered, I called not, my son ; lie 
down again. Now Samuel did not yet 
know the Lord, neither was the word of the 
Lord yet revealed unto him. And the Lord 
called Samuel again the third time. And 
he arose and w^ent to Eli, and said, Here 



THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE, 27 

am I ; for thou didst call me. And Eli 
perceived that the Lord had called the child. 
Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie 
down; and it shall be, if he call thee, that 
thou shalt say, Speak, Lord, for thy servant 
heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in 
his place. 

And the Lord came, and stood, and called 
as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then 
Samuel answered. Speak; for thy servant 
heareth. And the Lord said to Samuel, 
Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which 
both the ears of every one that heareth it 
shall tingle. In that day I will perform 
against Eli all things which I have spoken 
concerning his house; when I begin, I will 
also make an end. For I have told him 
that I will judge his house for ever for the 
iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons 
made themselves vile, and he restrained 
them not. And therefore I have sworn 



28 THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 

unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of 
Eli's house shall not be purged with sacri- 
fice nor offering forever. 

And Samuel lay until the morning, and 
opened the doors of the house of the Lord. 
And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision. 
Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, 
my son. And he answered. Here am I. 
And he said. What is the thing that the 
Lord hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide 
it not from me: God do so to thee, and 
more also, if thou hide anything from me 
of all the things that he said unto thee. 
And Samuel told him every whit, and hid 
nothing from him. And he said. It is the 
Lord ; let him do what seemeth him good. 

And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with 
with him, and did let none of his words fall 
to the ground. And all Israel from Dan 
even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was 
established to be a prophet of the Lord. 



THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 29 

And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh; for 
the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in 
Shiloh by the word of the Lord. 



DAVID AND HIS CHILD. 

\ ND Nathan departed unto his house. 
^^^And the Lord struck the child that 
Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was 
very sick. David therefore besought God 
for the child ; and David fasted, and went 
in, and lay all night upon the earth. And 
the elders of his house arose, and went to 
him, to raise him up from the earth ; but 
he would not, neither did he eat bread with 
them. 

And it came to pass on the seventh day, 
that the child died. And the servants of 
David feared to tell him that the child was 



30 THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 

dead ; for they said, Behold, while the child 
was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he 
would not hearken unto our voice; how 
will he then vex himself, if we tell him that 
the child is dead ? But when David saw 
that his servants whispered, David per- 
ceived that the child was dead ; therefore 
David said unto his servants. Is the child 
dead? And they said, He is dead. Then 
David arose from the earth, and washed, 
and anointed himself, and changed his ap- 
parel, and came into the house of the Lord, 
and worshipped ; then he came to his own 
house; and when he required, they set bread 
before him, and he did eat. 

Then said his servants unto him, What 
thing is this that thou hast done? Thou 
didst fast and weep for the child, while it 
was alive; but when the child was dead, thou 
didst rise and eat bread. And he said. 
While the child v/as yet alive, I fasted and 



THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 31 

wept; for I said, Who can tell whetlier God 
will be gracious to me, that the child may 
live? But now he is dead, wherefore should 
I fast? Can I bring him back again? I 
shall go to him, but he shall not return to 
me. 



THE PROPHET AND THE WIDOW S CHILD. 

A ND it came to pass after these things, 
^that the son of the woman, the mistress 
of the house, fell sick ; and his sickness was 
so sore, that there was no breath left in him. 
And she said unto Elijah, What have I to 
do with thee, O thou man of God ? Art 
thou come unto me to call my sin to remem- 
brance, and to slay my son? And he said 
unto her. Give me thy son. And he took 
him out of her bosom, and carried him up 



32 THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE, 

into a loft^ v/here he abode, and laid him 
upon his own bed. And he cried unto the 
Lord, and said, O Lord my God, hast thou 
also brought evil upon the widow with 
whom I sojourn, by slaying her son? And 
he stretched himself upon the child three 
times, and cried unto the Lord, and said, O 
Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child's 
soul come into him again. 

And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; 
and the soul of the child came into him 
again, and he revived. And Elijah took 
the child, and brought him down out of 
the chamber into the house, and delivered 
him unto his mother; and Elijah said. See, 
thy son liveth. And the woman said to 
Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art 
a man of God, and that the word of the 
Lord in thy mouth is truth. 



THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 33 



! ELISHA AND THE SHUNAMMITE BOY. 

\ ND when the child was grown, it fell 
on a day, that he went out to his father 
to the reapers. And he said unto his father, 
My head, my head. And he said to a lad. 
Carry him to his mother. And when he 
had taken him, and brought him to his 
mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and 
then died. And she went up, and laid him 
on the bed of the man of God, and shut 
the door upon him, and went out. And 
she called unto her husband, and said. Send 
me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and 
one of the asses, that I may run to the man 
of God, and come again. And he said, 
Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is 
neither new moon, nor Sabbath. And she 
said. It shall be well. 

Then she saddled an ass, and said to her 
servant, Drive, and go forward ; slack 



34 THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 

not thy driving for me, except I bid thee. 
So she went, and came unto the man of 
God to Mount Carmel. And it came to 
pass, when the man of God saw her afar 
off, that he said to Gehazi his servant. Be- 
hold, yonder is that Shunammite : Run 
now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say 
unto her, Is it well with thee ? is it well 
with thy husband? is it well with the child? 
And she answered. It is well. And when 
she came to the man of God to the hill, she 
caught him by the feet : but Gehazi came 
near to thrust her away. And the man of 
God said. Let her alone ; for her soul is 
vexed within her : and the Lord hath hid it 
from me, and hath not told me. Then she 
said. Did I desire a son of my lord ? did I 
not say. Do not deceive me ? 

And the mother of the child said. As the 
Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will 
not leave thee. And he arose and followed 



THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 35 

her. And Gehazi passed on before them, 
and laid the stafF upon the face of the child ; 
but there was neither voice nor hearing. 
Wherefore he went again to meet him, and 
told him, saying, The child is not awaked. 
And when Elisha was come into the house, 
behold, the child was dead and laid upon 
his bed. He went in therefore, and shut 
the door upon them twain, and prayed unto 
the Lord. And he went up, and lay upon 
the child, and put his mouth upon his 
mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his 
hands upon his hands : and he stretched 
himself upon the child ; and the flesh of 
the child waxed warm. Then he returned, 
and walked in the house to and fro; and 
went up, and stretched himself upon him : 
and the child sneezed seven times, and the 
child opened his eyes. And he called Ge- 
hazi, and said. Call this Shunammite. So 
he called her. And when she was come in 



36 THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE, 

unto him, he said, Take up thy son. Then 
she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed 
herself to the ground, and took up her son, 
and went out. 



THE CHILD JESUS. 

A ND in the sixth month the angel Gabriel 
^ ^ was sent from God unto a city of Gali- 
lee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to 
a man whose name was Joseph, of the house 
of David ; and the virgin's name was Mary. 
And the angel came in unto her, and said. 
Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord 
is with thee: blessed art thou among wo- 
men. And when she saw him, she was 
troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind 
what manner of salutation this should be. 
And the angel said unto her. Fear not, 
Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. 
And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy 
womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call 
his name Jesus. He shall be great, and 



38 THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 

shall be called the Son of the Highest; and 
the Lord God shall give unto him the 
throne of his father David. And he shall 
reign over the house of Jacob forever ; and 
of his kingdom there shall be no end. 
Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall 
this be, seeing I know not a man ? And 
the angel answered and said unto her. The 
Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the 
power of the Highest shall overshadow thee : 
therefore also that holy thing which shall be 
born of thee, shall be called the Son of 
God. And behold, thy cousin Elizabeth, 
she hath also conceived a son in her old 
age ; and this is the sixth month with her 
who was called barren : for with God noth- 
ing shall be impossible. And Mary said. 
Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it 
unto me according to thy word. And the 
angel departed from her. 

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, 



THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 39 

out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, 
unto the city of David, which is called 
Bethlehem ; (because he was of the house 
and lineage of David:) to be taxed with 
Mary his espoused wife, being great with 
child. And so it was, that, while they were 
. there, the days were accomplished that she 
should be delivered. And she brought 
forth her first born son, and wrapped him 
in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a 
manger ; because there was no room for 
them in the inn. 

And there were in the same country shep- 
herds abiding in the field, keeping watch 
over their flock by night. And, lo, the 
angel of the Lord came upon them, and 
the glory of the Lord shone round about 
them : and they were sore afraid. And the 
angel said unto them. Fear not : for, be- 
hold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, 
which shall be to all people. For unto you 



40 THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 

is born this day in the city of David a 
Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And 
this shall be a sign unto you : Ye shall find 
the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lyi^^g 
in a manger. And suddenly there was with 
the angel a multitude of the heavenly host 
praising God, and saying, Glory to God in 
the highest, and on earth peace, good will 
toward men. 

And it came to pass, as the angels were 
gone away from them into heaven, the shep- 
herds said one to another. Let us now go 
even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing 
which is come to pass, which the Lord hath 
made known unto us. And they came with 
haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and 
the babe lying in a manger. And when 
they had seen it, they made known abroad 
the saying which was told them concerning 
this child. And all they that he^rd it won- 
dered at those things which were told them 



THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE, 41 

by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these 
things, and pondered them in her heart. 
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and 
praising God for all the things that they 
had heard and seen, as it was told unto 
them. 

And, behold, there was a man in Jeru- 
salem, whose name was Simeon ; and the 
same man was just and devout, waiting 
for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy 
Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed 
unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should 
not see death, before he had seen the Lord's 
Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the 
temple: and when the parents brought in the 
child Jesus, to do for him after the custom 
of the law, then took he him up in his arms, 
and blessed God, and said. Lord, now let- 
test thou thy servant depart in peace, accord- 
ing to thy word: for mine eyes have seen 
thy salvation, which thou hast prepared 



42 THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 

before the face of all the people ; a light to 
lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy 
people Israel. 

And Joseph and his mother marvelled at 
those things which were spoken of him. 
And Simeon blessed them, and said unto 
Mary his mother. Behold, this child is set 
for the fall and rising again of many in 
Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken 
against. Yea, a sword shall pierce through 
thy own soul also, that the thoughts of 
many hearts may be revealed. And when 
they had performed all things according to 
the law of the Lord, they returned into 
Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. And 
the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, 
filled with wisdom: and the grace of God 
was upon him. Now his parents went to 
Jerusalem every year at the feast of the 
passover. And when he was twelve years 
old they went up to Jerusalem after the 



THE CHILDREN OF THE BiBLE. 43 

custom of the feast. And when they had 
fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child 
Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem ; and 
Joseph and his mother knew not of it. 
But they, supposing him to have been in 
the company, went a day's journey, and 
they sought him among their kinsfolk and 
acquaintance. And w^hen they found him 
not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, 
seeking him. And it came to pass, that 
after three days they found him in the tem- 
ple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both 
hearing them and asking them questions. 
And all that heard him w^ere astonished at 
his understanding and answers. And when 
they saw him they were amazed : and his 
mother said unto him. Son, why hast thou 
thus dealt with us ? behold, thy father and I 
have sought thee sorrowing. And he said 
unto them. How is it that ye sought me.^ 
wist ye not that I must be about my Fa- 



44 IHE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 

ther's business ? And they understood not 
the saying which he spake unto them. And 
he went down with them, and came to Naza- 
reth, and was subject unto them : but his 
mother kept all these sayings in her heart. 
And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, 
and in favor with God and man. 



JESUS AND THE LITTLE ONES. 

A T the same time came the disciples 
-^ -^ unto Jesus, saying. Who is the great- 
est in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus 
called a little child unto him, and set him 
in the midst of them, and said. Verily I say 
unto you. Except ye be converted, and be- 
come as little children, ye shall not enter into 
the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever there- 
fore shall humble himself as this little child, 



THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE, 45 

the same is greatest in the kingdom of heav- 
en. And whoso shall receive one such little 
child in my name receiveth me. But whoso 
shall offend one of these little ones which 
believe in me, it were better for him that a 
millstone were hanged about his neck, and 
that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 

Then were there brought unto him little 
children, that he should put his hands on 
them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked 
them. But Jesus said. Suffer little children, 
and forbid them not, to come unto me: for 
of such is the kingdom of heaven. And he 
laid his hands on them, and departed thence. 

And the blind and the lame came to him 
in the temple; and he healed them. And 
w^hen the chief priests and scribes saw the 
wonderful things that he did, and the chil- 
dren crying in the temple, and saying, Ho- 
sanna to the Son of David; they were sore 
displeased, and said unto him, Hearest 



46 THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 

thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto 
them, Yea: have ye never read, Out of the 
mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast per- 
fected praise ? 

And when Jesus was passed oyer again by 
ship unto the other side, much people gath- 
ered unto him : and he was nigh unto the 
sea. And, behold, there cometh one of the 
rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; 
and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, 
and besought him greatly, saying. My little 
daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray 
thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that 
she may be healed; and she shall live. And 
Jesus went with him ; and much people fol- 
lowed him, and thronged him. 

While he yet spake, there came from the 
ruler of the synagogue's house certain which 
said. Thy daughter is dead: why troublest 
thou the Master any further ? As soon as 
Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he 



THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 47 

saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be 
not afraid, only believe. And he suffered 
no man to follow him save Petef, and James, 
and John the brother of James. And he 
Cometh to the house of the ruler of the syn- 
agogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that 
wept and wailed greatly. And when he was 
come in, he saith unto them. Why make ye 
this ado, and weep ? the damsel is not dead, 
but sleepeth. And they laughed him to 
scorn. But when he had put them all out, 
he taketh the father and the mother of the 
damsel, and them that were with him, and 
entereth in where the damsel was lying. 
And he took the damsel by the hand, and 
said unto her, Talitha cumi ; which is, being 
interpreted. Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. 
And straightway the damsel arose, and walk- 
ed; for she was of the age of twelve years. 
And they were astonished with a great as- 



48 THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 

tonishment. And he charged them straitly 
that no man should know it; and com- 
manded that^something should be given her 
to eat. 

And he came to Capernaum: and being 
in the house, he asked them, What was it 
that ye disputed among yourselves by the 
way ? But they held their peace : for by 
the way they had disputed among them- 
sel\^es, who should be the greatest. And 
he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith 
unto them, If any man desire to be first, 
the same shall be last of all, and servant of 
all. And he took a child, and set him in 
the midst of them : and when he had taken 
him in his arms, he said unto them. Who- 
soever shall receive one of such children in 
my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall 
receive me, receiveth not me, but him that 
sent me. v^^' - 

And they brought young children to him, 



THE^CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 49 

that he should touch them : and his disciples 
rebuked those that brought them. But 
when Jesus saw it^ he was much displeased, 
and said unto them. Suffer the little children 
to come unto me, and forbid them not: for 
of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I 
say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive 
the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall 
not enter therein. And he took them up 
in his arms, put his hands upon them, and 
blessed them. 

At that time Jesus answered and said, I 
thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and 
earth, because thou hast hid these things 
from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed 
them unto babes. Even so. Father: for so 
it seemed good in thy sight. All things are 
delivered unto me of my Father: and no 
man knoweth the Son, but the Father ; 
neither knoweth any man the Father, save 
the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will 



50 THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 

reveal him. Come unto me, all ye that la- 
bour and are heavy laden, and I will give 
you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and 
learn of me ; for I am meek and lowly in 
heart: and ye shall find rest unto your 
souls. For my yoke is easy, and my bur- 
den is light. 

And it came to pass the day after, that he 
went into a city called Nain ; and many of 
his disciples went with him, and much peo- 
ple. Now when he came nigh to the gate 
of the city, behold, there was a dead man 
carried out, the only son of his mother, and 
she was a widow: and much people of the 
city was with her. And when the Lord saw 
her, he had compassion on her, and said un- 
to her. Weep not. And he came and touched 
the bier: and they that bare him stood still. 
And he said. Young man, I say unto thee. 
Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and 
began to speak. And he delivered him to 



THE CHILL REN OF THE BIBLE. 51 

his mother. And there came a fear on all : 
and they glorified God, saying. That a great 
prophet is risen up among us ; and, That 
God hath visited his people. And this ru- 
mour of him went forth throughout all 
Judea, and throughout all the region round 
about. 

So when they had dined, Jesus saith to 
Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest 
thou me more than these? He saith unto 
him. Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love 
thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. 



THE HOLY MEN OF THE BIBLE 
AND THE CHILDREN. 

MOSES. 

THEREFORE shall ye lay up these 
-^ my words in your heart and in your 
soul, and bind them for a sign upon your 
hand, that they may be as frontlets between 
your eyes. And ye shall teach them your 
children, speaking of them when thou sittest 
in thine house, and when thou walkest by 
the way, when thou liest down, and when 
thou risest up. And thou shalt write them 
upon the door posts of thine house, and up- 
on thy gates : that your days may be multi- 
plied, and the days of your children, in the 
land which the Lord sware unto your fathers 
to give them, as the days of heaven upon the 
earth. 



THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 53 

When all Israel is come to appear before 
the Lord thy God in the place which he shall 
choose, thou shalt read this law before all 
Israel in their hearing. Gather the people 
together/ men, and women, and children, 
and thy stranger that is within thy gates, 
that they may hear, and that they may learn, 
and fear the Lord your God, and observe to 
do all the words of this law: and that their 
children, which have not known anything, 
may hear, and learn to fear the Lord your 
God, as long as ye live in the land whither 
ye go over Jordan to possess it. 



JOSHUA. 

^ I ^HEN Joshua called the twelve men, 

whom he had prepared of the children 

of Israel, out of every tribe a man. And 



54 THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 

Joshua said unto them^ Pass over before the 
ark of the Lord your God into the midst of 
Jordan, and take you up every man of you 
a stone upon his shoulder, according unto 
the number of the tribes of the children of 
Israel : that this may be a sign among you, 
that when your children ask their fathers in 
time to come, saying. What mean ye by these 
stones ? Then ye shall answer them. That 
the waters of Jordan were cut off before the 
ark of the covenant of the Lord ; when it 
passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan 
were cut off: and these stones shall be for 
a memorial unto the children of Israel for 
ever. 



THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 55 



DAVID. 

QING unto God, sing praises to his name: 
^ extol him that rideth upon the heavens 
by his name JAH, and rejoice before him. 
A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the 
widows, is God in his holy habitation. 

O God, thou hast taught me from my 
youth : and hitherto have I declared thy 
wondrous works. Now also when I am old 
and gray-headed, O God, forsake me not ; 
until I have shewed thy strength unto this 
generation, and thy power to every one that 
is to come. 

When the Lord shall build up Zion, he 
shall appear in his glory. He will regard 
the prayer of the destitute, and not despise 
their prayer. This shall be written for the 
generation to come: and the people which 
shall be created shall praise the Lord. Thou 
art the same, and thy years shall have no end. 



S6 THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 

The children of thy servants shall continue, 
and their seed shall be established before 
thee. 

Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: 
and the fruit of the womb is his reward. 
As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man, 
so are children of the youth. Happy is the 
man that hath his quiver full of them : they 
shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak 
with the enemies in the gate. Thy wife shall 
be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine 
house: thy children like olive plants round 
about thy table. Yea, thou shalt see thy 
children's children, and peace upon Israel. 

Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine 
eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in 
great matters, or in things too high for me. 

Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, 
as a child that is weaned of his mother: my 
soul is even as a weaned child. Let Israel 



THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 57 

hope in the Lord from henceforth and for 
ever. 

Rid me^ and deliver me from the hand of 
strange children^ whose mouth speaketh van- 
ity, and their right hand is a right hand of 
falsehood: that our sons may be as plants 
grown up in their youth; that our daughters 
may be as corner stones, polished after the 
similitude of a palace. 

Like as a father pitieth his children, so 
the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For 
he knoweth our frame ; he remembereth that 
we are dust. Kings of the earth, and all 
people; princes, and all judges of the earth: 
both young men, and maidens ; old men, 
and children : let them praise the name of 
the Lord : for his name alone is excellent ; 
his glory is above the earth and heaven. 



58 THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 



SOLOMON. 



"TV/TY son, if thou wilt receive my words, 
"^ -^ and hide my commandments with 
thee; so that thou incline thine ear unto 
wisdom, and apply thine heart to under- 
standing; yea, if thou criest after knowledge, 
and liftest up thy voice for understanding; 
if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest 
for her as for hid treasures ; then shalt thou 
understand the fear of the Lord, and find the 
knowledge of God. For the Lord giveth 
wisdom : out of his mouth cometh knowledge 
and understanding. 

My son, forget not my law; but let 
thine heart keep my commandments: for 
length of days, and long life, and peace shall 
they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth 
forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; 
write them upon the table of thine heart : 



THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 59 

so shalt thou find favour and good under- 
standing in the sight of God and man. 

Hear, ye children, the instruction of a 
father, and attend to know understanding. 
For I give you good doctrine ; forsake ye 
not my law. For I was my father's son, 
tender and only beloved in the sight of my 
mother. He taught me also, and said unto 
me. Let thine heart retain my words : keep 
my commandments, and live. Get wisdom, 
get understanding: forget it not; neither 
decline from the words of my mouth. 

My son, keep thy father's commandment, 
and forsake not the law of thy mother: bind 
them continually upon thine heart, and tie 
them about thy neck. When thou goest, it 
shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall 
keep thee ; and when thou awakest, it shall 
talk with thee. For the commandment is a 
lamp ; and the law is light ; and reproofs of 
instruction are the way of life. 



6o THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 

Children's children are the crown of old 
men; and the glory of children are their 
fathers. Train up a child in the way he 
should go : and when he is old, he will not 
depart from it. 

Remember now thy Creator in the days 
of thy youth, while the evil days come not, 
nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, 
I have no pleasure in them ; while the sun, 
or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not 
darkened, nor the clouds return after the 
rain : in the day when the keepers of the 
house shall tremble, and the strong men 
shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease 
because they are few, and those that look out 
of the windows be darkened, and the doors 
shall be shut in the streets, when the sound 
of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up 
at the voice of the bird, and all the daugh- 
ters of music shall be brought low; also 
when they shall be afraid of that which is 



THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 61 

high, and fears shall be in the way, and the 
almond tree shall flourish, and the grass- 
hopper shall be a burden, and desire shall 
fail: because man goeth to his long home, 
and the mourners go about the streets: or 
ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden 
bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at 
the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cis- 
tern. Then shall the dust return to the 
earth as it was: and the spirit shall return 
unto God who gave it. 



ISAIAH. 

''T^HE wolf also shall dwell with the iamb, 
and the leopard shall lie down with the 
kid; and the calf and the young lion and the 
fatling together; and a little child shall lead 
them. And the cow and the bear shall feed ; 



6z THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 

their young ones shall lie down together: 
and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 
And the suckling child shall play on the 
hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall 
put his hand on the cockatrice den. 

Whom shall he teach knowledge ? and 
whom shall he make to understand doctrine? 
them that are weaned from the milk^ and 
drawn from the breasts. For precept must 
be upon precept^ precept upon precept; line 
upon line, line upon line; here a little, and 
there a little: for with stammering lips and 
another tongue will he speak to this people. 
For I will pour water upon him that is 
thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground : I 
will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my 
blessing upon thine off^spring: and they shall 
spring up as among the grass, as willows by 
the water courses. One shall say, I am the 
Lord's; and another shall call himself by 
the namxC of Jacob; and another shall sub- 



THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 63 

scribe with his hand unto the Lord, and sur- 
name himself by the name of Israel. 

O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and 
not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones 
with fair colours, and lay thy foundations 
with sapphires. And I will make thy win- 
dows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, 
and all thy borders of pleasant stones. And 
all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; 
and great shall be the peace of thy children. 



JEREMIAH. 

^HEN said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, 
^ I cannot speak: for I am a child. But 
the Lord said unto me. Say not, I am a 
child : for thou shalt go to all that I shall 
send thee, and whatsoever I command thee 
thou shalt speak. Be not afraid of their 



64 THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 

faces : for I am with thee to deliver thee, 
saith the Lord. Then the Lord put forth 
his hand, and touched my mouth. And the 
Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my 
words in thy mouth. 

In those days the house of Judah shall 
walk with the house of Israel, and they shall 
come together out of the land of the north 
to the land that I have given for an inherit- 
ance unto your fathers. But I said. How 
shall I put thee among the children, and give 
thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of 
the hosts of nations? and I said. Thou shalt 
call me. My father; and shalt not turn away 
from me. 

Thus saith the Lord ; A voice was heard 
in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; 
Rachel weeping for her children, refused to 
be comforted for her children, because they 
were not. Thus saith the Lord ; Refrain 
thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from 



THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 65 

tears : for thy work shall be rewarded, saith 
the Lord; and they shall come again from 
the land of the enemy. And there is hope 
in thine end, saith the Lord, that thy chil- 
dren shall come again to their own border. 

I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning 
himself thus ; Thou hast chastised me- and 
I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed 
to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be 
turned ; for thou art the Lord my God. 
Surely after that I was turned, I repented ; 
and after that I was instructed, I smote up- 
on my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even con- 
founded, because I did bear the reproach of 
my youth. Is Ephraim my dear son? is he 
a pleasant child ? for since I spake against 
him, I do earnestly remember him still : 
therefore my bowels are troubled for him ; 
I will surely have mercy upon him, saith 
the Lord. 



66 THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 

ZECHARIAH. 

^Tp^HUS saith the Lord: I am returned 
■^ unto Zion, and will dwell In the midst 
of Jerusalem : and Jerusalem shall be called, 
A city of truth ; and the mountain of the 
Lord of hosts. The holy mountain. Thus 
saith the Lord of hosts ; There shall yet old 
men and old women dwell in the streets of 
Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in 
his hand for very age. And the streets of 
the city shall be full of boys and girls play- 
ing in the streets thereof. 



PAUL. 



"IT 7HEN I was a child, I spake as a child, 
^ ^ I understood as a child, I thought as 
a child : but when I became a man, I put 
away childish things. For now we see 
through a glass, darkly ; but then face to 



THE CHILDREN 01 THE BIBLE. 67 

face: how I know in part; but then shall I 
know even as also I am known. And now 
abideth faith, hope, charity, these three ; but 
the greatest of these is charity. 

Now I say, That the heir, as long as he 
is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, 
though he be lord of all; but is under tutors 
and governors until the time appointed of 
the father. Even so we, when we were chil- 
dren, were in bondage under the elements 
of the world: but when the fulness of the 
time was come, God sent forth his Son, 
maae of a woman, made under the law, to 
redeem them that were under the law, that 
we might receive the adoption of sons. 
And because ye are sons, God hath sent 
forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, 
crying, Abba, Father. 

Children, obey your parents in the Lord: 
for this is right. Honour thy father and 
mother ; which is the first commandment 



6^ THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE, 

with promise ; that It may be well with thee, 
and thou mayest live long on the earth. 
And, ye fathers, provoke not your children 
to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture 
and admonition of the Lord. ' ' 

Nor of men sought we glory, neither of 
you, nor yet of others, when we might have 
been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ. 
But we were gentle among you, even as a 
nurse cherisheth her children. So being 
affectionately desirous of you, we were will- 
ing to have imparted unto you, not the gos- 
pel of God only, but also our own sotiIs, 
because ye were dear unto us. 

Honour widows that are widows indeed. 
But if any widow have children or nephews, 
let them learn first to shew piety at home, 
and to requite their parents : for that is good 
and acceptable before God. But continue 
thou in the things which thou hast learned 
and hast been assured of, knowing of whom 



THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 69 

thou hast learned them ; and that from a 
child thou hast known the holy scriptures, 
which are able to make thee wise unto salva- 
tion through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, 
and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, 
for correction, for instruction in righteous- 
ness : that the man of God may be perfect, 
thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 



JOHN. 

1\/TY little children, these things write I 
^ ^ unto you, that ye sin not. And if 
any man sin, we have an advocate with the 
Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And 
he is the propitiation for our sins : and not 
for our's only, but also for the sins of the 
whole world. And hereby we do know that 
we know him, if we keep his commandments. 



70 THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE. 

I write unto you, little children, because 
your sins are forgiven you for his name's 
sake. I write unto you, fathers, because ye 
have known him that is from the beginning. 
I write unto you, young men, because ye 
have overcome the wicked one. I write 
unto you, little children, because ye have 
known the Father. 

Little children, let no man deceive you : 
he that doeth righteousness is righteous, 
even as he is righteous. For this is the 
message that ye heard from the beginning, 
that we should love one another. Not as 
Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew 
his brother. And wherefore slew he him ? 
Because his own works were evil, and his 
brother's righteous. 

Little children, keep yourselves from 
idols. Amen. 



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